Too Young For You
by RisingSun13
Summary: Kasumi's found the one who thinks he's her soulmate. And its not Tofu. But why is she rejecting him, like she's scared or something? Can Nabiki figure out what went wrong? From the Author of "Nabiki's Laws"
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer:  No, I am not sorry.  Nope.  Not at all.  Not one bit.  

And another disclaimer: this story I'm about to spin probably NEVER entered into the exalted brain of Rumiko Takahashi, I'm sure of it.  If you're looking for answers, stop reading now.  I won't deliver them.  I'm only trying to tell a story.  My story.  

And now…

RisingSun Presents…

TOO YOUNG FOR YOU 

A Story Based on Rumiko Takahashi's "Ranma ½"

Featuring Kasumi Tendo and Another Character of My Own Creation

But mostly Kasumi.

Chapter 1:  And So It Begins… Again 

It was all she could do to stop from exploding into laughter.  

Kasumi held her breath and smiled broadly while keeping her eye on the flowers she was watering.  It wouldn't be nice to laugh at Ranma's predicament.  

But that didn't stop Nabiki, who instantly started sniggering loudly in her lounge chair.  

"Ranma, for a martial artist, you are ridiculously clumsy."  

Ranma glowered at her from her spot on the grass and turned her back.  The redhead muttered something unintelligible.  

"What was that, Ranma?  I couldn't hear you."  Nabiki put her hand up to her ear in mock confusion.  

"Ranma," Kasumi said, still smiling.  "Do you need help?"  

"Mmrrph."  

"Goodness!"  Nabiki exclaimed, putting her hand over her heart.  "How can you say such things to Kasumi, Saotome?  Have you no honor?"  

Kasumi switched the hose to "mist" and replied, playing along, "Oh dear… is Ranma saying bad words again?"  

At this moment, Akane stepped out of the house holding a magazine and a cherry Popsicle.  She looked at Nabiki, who was wearing shorts, a tank top, dark glasses, and an amused smile while calmly sipping lemonade.  She turned and looked at Kasumi, in a tube top and Hawaiian wrap-around, who was calmly watering the flowers and had an amused smile. And then she looked between her two sisters, and saw Ranma sitting cross-legged on the lawn, with a red face, peeved expression, and both lips stuck in a Snapple bottle.  

Akane blinked, and started shrieking with laughter.  

"Stupid tomboy," Ranma muttered to herself.  But, of course, no one could understand her.  

Akane stumbled down the steps from the porch and chortled, "Ranma, come here."  She reached over and yanked the bottle off with a loud pop, causing Ranma to yell with pain and the Tendo girls to double over once more with laughter.  

A voice cut through the laughter.  "Excuse me, am I interrupting something?"  All heads turned towards the front gate.  There stood a tall young man, a gaijin, with light brown hair and blue eyes.  He paused, hesitating with a hand on the gate.  "Is this the Tendo dojo?"  

Nabiki cocked an eyebrow at him.  He was cute.  And his Japanese was amazingly fluent for a foreigner.  She took of her sunglasses and sat up in her lounge chair.  "Yep, this is the Tendo dojo alright, lock stock and barrel.  C'mon inside… can we help you in some way?"  

The young man looked slightly embarrassed.  "Um, actually, I was looking for a Kasumi Tendo…" He trailed off as his gaze rested on the eldest Tendo daughter.  His eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on his face.  "Kasumi?"  

Kasumi blinked in surprise.  "Yes, that's me… What can I do for you?"  

The young man's smile faltered a little.  "Don't you remember me?"  

She hesitated.  "Do I know you, sir?"

The man at the gate looked at her with a furrowed brow.  He was about to speak when Akane interrupted him.  

"What do you want with Kasumi?  Are you some kind of pervert?"  

"I…"  The man stared at the fiery girl in astonishment.  "What…"  

Nabiki rolled her eyes, put her sunglasses back on, and settled back into her chair.  "Get real, Akane.  How would Kasumi of all people know any perverts?"  

Akane frowned.  "Well, there's Happosai, and Kuno, and Ranma, and…"  

"Hey!"  Ranma stopped nursing her sore mouth long enough to glare at Akane.

"Okay, okay, point taken."  Nabiki twisted her head to look at Kasumi.  "Well, onee-chan?  You know this guy?  Or shall we send him back over the ocean via Akane-Mallet Airways?  Kasumi?"  

Kasumi had frozen in position, hand halfway to her mouth, staring at the stranger.  

"Kasumi, you're drowning the bougainvilleas."  

Kasumi automatically switched off the hose with a flick of her thumb, but did not move otherwise.  

"…Adam" Her eyes widened incredulously.  "Is that you?"  

"Yeah…" Adam shifted nervously, and shot her a slight grin.  "Hi."  

"Oh my goodness."  

The hose dropped to the floor.  

~*~

"Here, let me help you get that."  

Kasumi looked up from picking up her spilled books to see a blond girl with glasses stoop down and recover some of the dropped textbooks.  

"Oh—thank you…"  Kasumi smiled at her gratefully.  

"Your welcome," replied the girl.  "You're a freshman, aren't you?"  

"Yes, yes I am."  

"Great!  Can I recruit you then?"  

"Recruit me?"  Kasumi straightened and shot an inquisitive look at the girl.  

The girl laughed slightly and adjusted her backpack.  "Yeah.  I'm a member of the cooking club.  A senior, actually.  We meet after school on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays."  She laughed again.  "Us old members always go around at the beginning of the year to recruit new victims to join.  Of course, freshmen are always fresh meat."  She chuckled at her joke.  

Kasumi didn't quite understand the humor of it; perhaps it was because her English was not quite good enough yet, even though she had been top in her middle school English class.  That was why her teachers had recommended her to attend the American International High School in Tokyo, an institution renowned for its excellent education.  Many Americans and Europeans who lived in Tokyo sent their children there to keep up their English, and consequently surround them with other Caucasians.  Of course, Japanese children attended as well, those with excellent English and wealthy and/or influential families; but a large majority of the teens who went there were American.  

Kasumi considered herself very lucky indeed to attend such an elite school.  Then again, her maternal grandparents would not hear of her attending a public school, such as Furinken, the local high school.  Too much violence, they claimed.  Kids get beat up every day in the courtyard—right in front of the teachers!  And they try to steal your money too.  Kasumi had also heard them mutter about the "eccentric" principal who used unorthodox methods of running the school.  Her mother had agreed whole-heartedly: of _course_ her gentle Kasumi could not associate with delinquents.  They might try to extort money from her or something.  

Daddy, on the other hand, had wanted her to go to Furinken.  "You have already refused to let me pass on the legacy of Anything Goes to my first born," he had argued.  "At least don't send her to a sissy school with those gaijin—she needs to learn street smarts."  Mother, of course, had crushed his arguments at the first opportunity.  "I won't let you teach my precious daughter sneaky underhand tricks made up by a shriveled old pervert!  And she's a proper young Japanese woman.  Why on earth would she need street smarts?"  

Kasumi smiled slightly at the memory.  She was glad that mother had won.  She had heard all sorts of wonderful stories from her middle school teachers and wanted to attend American Int'l so badly.  And Daddy had been completely wrong when he had cautioned her about "being a stranger in your own country" and "watching out for the gaijin".  The first person she had met on her first day of school was one of the friendliest girls ever.  

"So, you wanna join?"  

"Sure, I'll check it out."  

"Super!  First meeting's today after school.  See ya there!"  

Kasumi was halfway down the hallway to her first class when she realized that she didn't know where the cooking club met.  Or even the girl's name, for that matter.

~*~

"Kasumi, you're so forgetful," Akane reprimanded.  "How can you even forget who someone is?"  She paused, a puzzled expression on her face.  "Um, who are you, by the way?"

Nabiki, on the other hand, sat back up and took her sunglasses off again with an enormous and predatory grin.  "Ah HA!  So YOU'RE the illustrious Adam I've heard so much about!  Come come, Kasumi, where are your manners?  Say hello to the poor fellow already!"  She leaned forward expectantly, grin growing larger and more eager by the second.  

"He… hello… Adam…" Kasumi faltered.  "Please, come in…" 

"Why thank you," Adam replied, the cocky grin back on his face.  He opened the gate and sauntered in.  "I think I will."  He glanced around at the assembled.  "Hi!  Name's Adam Hadley."  He gave Nabiki an amused look.  "You must be Nabiki, no?  I've heard a lot about you from Kasumi here."  

Nabiki smirked.  "That I'm sure of.  Nice t'finally meet you, Adam Hadley."  Her smile took on an evil suggestion.  "Though I definitely need to have a little… talk… with you about…"  A fierce glance from Kasumi cut her off.  

Adam grinned.  He turned to Akane.  "And you must be Akane.  My, you've grown a lot!"  

Akane blinked.  "Do I know you?"  

He just continued to grin.  He turned to Ranma.  "And you must be… umm…"  

"Ranma Saotome."  Ranma stuck out a hand.  "Nice ta meetcha."  

"Nice to meet you too, Ranma."  He gave her a once over.  "Are you a… cousin?"  

Nabiki helped him out.  "Ranma's been staying with us for a while now.  He's engaged to Akane."  

"Ohhhhhh…"  Adam glanced at both parties appraisingly.  "Akane, Kasumi never told me about _that_ side of you."  

"Now wait just one second here!!!"  

"Heyyyyy!  I'm a GUY!"  Ranma sighed at Adam's blank look.  "It's a long story."  

Akane glared at the stranger.  "I am NOT 'that way', you moron.  Who do you think you are, anyway, barging into our house like this?"  

"Well, I'm Kasumi's…"  

"…friend."  All eyes turned to Kasumi, who had not said much since the stranger's arrival.  She smiled tremulously, and continued, "Adam, won't you like a glass of lemonade?  I'll just go inside and get you a glass…"  She rushed on, not waiting for an answer.  "Nabiki, Akane, Ranma, please entertain our guest for a while."  She dashed into the house.  

"What's with her?"  Ranma asked curiously.  

"I have no idea," Akane replied, still eying the rather good looking gaijin who had suddenly showed up at their doorstep looking for her friendly but definitely not _that_ outgoing older sister.

Adam, however, had turned towards Nabiki.  

She lowered her eyebrows slightly at him, and gave a short but sharp gesture with her chin.  Adam nodded, and followed Kasumi into the house.  

He leapt up the stairs to the porch two at a time, and slid open the screen.  Quickly, he glanced around for a moment, and then, following some instinct, he headed for the kitchen.  

Kasumi stood at the sink, with her back to him.  Apparently she had not heard him come in.  She clutched the edge of the counter tightly with her hands, knuckles white, eyes wide open and frightened.  Adam walked up silently behind her.  When she did not respond, he touched her arm gently.  Kasumi jumped and spun around, lips parted slightly in fear.  

"Hey…" he said quietly.  "What's the matter?"

"I… I'm just surprised… that's all…"  She managed a weak smile.  "I didn't… expect to see you…"  

"Yeah, well, I just couldn't…"  

Kasumi interrupted him.  "Let me get you your lemonade," she said hurriedly, easing out from between him and the sink.  She opened the fridge and pulled out a pitcher.  "Oops, it's almost all gone.  Let me make you some more!"  She bustled around the kitchen, not looking at him.  There was silence for several minutes, and then she heard a heavy sigh from behind her.  

"Ok, ok, I'll take a hint.  I shouldn't have expected anything else anyhow."  A pause.  "Fine, I'm leaving.  I'm not gonna waste my time with this…" She heard him walk out of the kitchen.  Kasumi stilled her movements, and froze, balanced against the counter, a lemon in each hand.  

Adam stepped into the hallway, smile still on his face but blue eyes dark with frustration.  Four years later, it was still the same.  Still the same, dammit!  Why couldn't she just… _grow up_?  He turned the corner and ran into Nabiki, arms crossed and leaning casually against the wall.  Her face and voice was void of any expression.

"Okay, buddy, you and I are going to have a looong talk.  Right.  Now."  

Inside the kitchen, Kasumi closed her eyes.  

~*~

Author's Notes:  

Whew.  And so begins my quest to write a chapter fanfic on the most deserving characters of them all—Kasumi Tendo.  Yes folks, here it is, my pathetic effort at building an epic novel based on a gentle smile and cheerful disposition.  Keep in mind, while reading this, that I'm basing my Kasumi on the one more towards the beginning of the novel, not the caricatured version at the end.  While I am definitely not one of those who believes that the eldest Tendo girl is a brainless bubble head, she does get a little narrow towards the end, as do the other minor characters like Nabiki, Soun, Genma, etc.  

So I will try my best, here, to write a story about Kasumi—there aren't many of them.  Sure, there are short tidbits here and there trying to explain why Kasumi is the way she is, but very few that actually have a plot which feature her as the main character (or at least on ff.net) (I think.  Please don't be offended if my generalization does not include you).  And I am NOT pairing her up with Tofu.  The man is nice, but he needs meds.  And there is something very wrong about a thirty-something year-old family doctor getting hooked up with his teenage patient.  Sorta like Anakin and Queen Amidala.  Brrr.  So anyhow, la, I think I'm all-powerful and that my Jedi-powers can actually create something worth reading.  ^_^;;  

So, whaddya all think?  Yes?  No?  Maybe so?  (Yes, yes, I know my writing sucks.  You don't have to ostracize me for it).  If you like it, drop me a line.  If not, tell me so also.  I'm very open to suggestions.  Even flames!  (Am I really that desperate for reviews?)  C&C please!  (Oh, btw, in case you didn't get it, the story switches back and forth from present to past, when Kasumi was still a frosh in high school).  


	2. Chapter 2: Wandering, Introductions, and...

Chapter 2:  Wanderings, Introductions, and Secrets 

The long, carpeted hallway filled with students at the sound of the bell.  Excited gossip and loud teasing born of the end of the first day of school shattered the silence that had permeated the halls during class period.  Rowdy groups of boys rough-housed their way to the field and gym for after school sports, jumpy mobs of freshmen crowded the entranceways in "safe" numbers, and upperclassmen made their way listlessly towards their various clubs and associations.

Kasumi Tendo clutched the strap of her schoolbag nervously as she wandered the halls that were quickly beginning to empty.  In afternoon sunlight filtering through the windows cast a golden yellow glow around the school; Kasumi could see the specks of dust dancing in each lighted square of sun.  She tried to glance into the classrooms to see if she could recognize the girl who had "recruited" her.  But some were empty, and others were so crowded that she could barely see beyond the clumps of bodies that lounged on desks and against walls like larva.  

She fought back tears and bit her bottom lip in frustration.  And the day had gone so well too!  Her classes had been exciting past expectations, and her English was definitely above average, even compared to the native speakers.  She had a slight accent, but otherwise, it was all good.  She had even made several friends from homeroom, and met Rika, the curly haired girl in her math class.  And while she hadn't become instantly popular (which was fine with her), she had fit in without problem. 

But all the excitement had worn down, and she stood alone in an empty hallway, lost and forgotten.  Her footsteps were muffled on the worn carpet as she wandered from floor to floor, panic increasing with each wrong room.  She turned in relief when, finally, she heard footsteps and a familiar voice call out, 

"Hey, freshman!  Over here!"  

It was the blond girl with glasses.  Kasumi waved, and said, in a slightly shaky voice, "I'm sorry, but I forgot to find out where you meet.  I sort of got lost."  

The girl shook her head.  "Don't be sorry!  It's all my fault, really.  I shoulda given you more information.  Heh.  I should be the one apologizing.  Come on, the intro meeting is gonna start in a few minutes."  As they headed down the stairs together, the girl introduced herself.  "Oh, heh, BY the way, I'm Chrissy Spark."  

"My name is Kasumi Tendo."  

"Well, Kasumi Tendo," Chrissy said, stopping in front of a door, "Welcome to the Cooking Club."  She opened the door wide with dramatic flourish, causing several curses of pain and annoyance from the other side.  

"Jesus, Chrissy, at least knock first so we can get outta the way!"  A tousle headed Japanese boy poked his head around the door in exasperation.  

Another boy, falling out from behind the door and seeing Kasumi, added for her benefit, "She does that every time."  He picked up his glasses disdainfully.

The two Japanese boys were shoved out of the way as a third boy, a gaijin with blue eyes, also fought his way out from behind the door.  "Cheese, people, get your fat butts outta my way."  

As they began to bicker, Chrissy rolled her eyes at Kasumi and gestured for her to follow her in.  "Don't mind these morons—they're just here because they wanna pick up girls."  She eyed them thoughtfully.  "And because the jocks beat them up, and losers think they're losers, and the Goths think they're…"  

"What are you talking about?" the gaijin asked with mock distress, looking down at the short and round Chrissy.  "We're here because we love to cook!"  

"Suuuurre," sniffed Chrissy.  "Whaaaatever."  

Kasumi, meanwhile, had been nodding and smiling helplessly along with Chrissy's dialogue.  She looked around and, to her surprise, saw redhead Rika perched on one of the desks in the corner.  She waved, and Rika waved back, gesturing for Kasumi to sit with her.  So she did.  

"Did you get recruited too?"  

Rika nodded.  "Yah."

"By Chrissy?"

"Yah."  

At this point, the meeting was called to order.  

~*~

"All right, then," Nabiki deadpanned.  "I want to know what is going on between you and my sister?"  

"Going on?" Adam exclaimed incredulously.  "Going on?  There's nothing going on!  That's the whole problem!"  

They were sitting in Nabiki's room—Nabiki cross-legged on her bed and Adam in her desk chair.  On account of the summer humidity of the day, Nabiki had left her window open, even though there was always the chance of Ranma and Akane eavesdropping on their conversation.  Which was why Nabiki had also left her curtains open in order to have a clear view of her balcony.  

Nabiki cocked an eyebrow.  "Riiight…  Care to elaborate?"  

Adam tucked his hands behind his head and leaned back, a sprawl infuriatingly similar to Ranma's cocky pose.  He shot her his perpetual grin.  "You're a nosy one, aren't ya?"  

"And proud of it," she replied shortly.  She tried poking a little deeper.  "Weren't you and Kasumi really good friends in high school?"  

"Ah, yes, those carefree days of high school… I was a senior and she was a tender little freshman… those were the good days."  

"And?"

"You really _are_ nosy.  Anyhow, she and I fell in love at first sight.  Me being so handsome and all.  And the rest of the year tripped by on rosy wings, t'tell you the truth.  We went out on so many romantic dates my friends had to brush their teeth after seeing our sweet looks at each other afterwards.  But time flew by, and I had to go off to college.  Of course, we were both heartbroken at the separation, but I lived.  And apparently she did too.  We kept in touch with mushy letters every now and then, but there were so many hot girls in college that I cheated on her.  So now she's mad at me, even though I've returned to claim her as my one and only true love."  He closed his eyes tragically.  

Nabiki looked at him with complete and utter disgust.  "You are so full of bullshit, you know that?"  

He opened his eyes and laughed.  "Not only are you nosy, you're direct too.  Not mincing words with ya."  He smirked.  

"You are absolutely, completely, totally full of bullshit.  You're a stinking liar.  Which is a quality I appreciate in people, especially myself.  But anyhow."  She glared at him.  "Adam, don't spin me any stories.  I want to know exactly what happened.  I don't want my sister to get hurt."  

At that, Adam's smile faded slightly at the last statement.  But he quickly recovered, and replied, "What, you don't believe me?  Aw, c'mon.  It's from the heart."  

Nabiki nodded rapidly.  "Ok, ok, don't tell me.  Fine.  I can deal.  But I'm warning you—if you so much as cause Kasumi ONE DROP of pain or hurt, I will personally…" 

She was cut off by a sardonic "Yeah, sure, whatever, little sis."  He smirked mockingly.  "Trust me."  

Nabiki's face darkened.  "I know a lot more than you think I do, Adam-_chan_.  Watch yourself.  Because I'm watching you."  

Brown eyes met blue, and a mutual understanding was reached.  He nodded slightly, and she inclined her head in acknowledgement.  Silent secrets sealed the deal.

Downstairs, Akane entered the kitchen cautiously.  "Onee-chan?  Are you alright?"  

Kasumi turned, and smiled brightly.  "Oh yes, Akane, everything's fine!  Look," she held out a frosty pitcher.  "I made us some more fresh lemonade."  

Akane didn't accept it.  "Onee-chan, who is this Adam?"  

"Adam?  Oh, he's a friend from high school, that's all.  We haven't seen each other in a while."  Kasumi's lower lip trembled slightly, and she bit it to keep it still.  She hadn't expected to see him again either, after he graduated.  Why was he following her like this?  They had followed their own paths, and decided to make their own lives—apart.  This sudden visit unnerved her.  Kasumi didn't like to be unnerved.  She had thought that now she was immune to the unknown and surprising, living with Ranma and all.  But apparently not.  

Seeing Adam caused her to stutter again, like before.  Her heart beat a little faster, her hands shook, and the base of her spine tightened imperceptibly.  His eyes, his eternal smile, his paradoxical statements and contradictory personalities.  After all this time, he was still an enigma, a puzzle with so many layers upon layers that she felt dizzy in his presence.  The way he lied so fluently, and yet said everything with sincerity and conviction. Monsters and demi-gods and curses and demons she could deal with.  Daily property damage and violent accusations she could work through.  But Adam… she couldn't smile her way past him.  His tangled persona unraveled hers, smoothing it until her entire soul was bare for him, and only him, to read.  She couldn't take it.  With him, she wasn't in control.  He was.  

"Kasumi?"  

"I'm fine, Akane, really."  She opened the fridge.  "Here, let's get some ice for Ranma to put on his mouth.  Poor thing, it must hurt very much."  

Akane panicked slightly.  Unknown to both her older sisters, Ranma wasn't sulking on the lawn.  He was… um… listening to the conversation upstairs between Nabiki and this Adam from the roof.  She had to stall Kasumi.  

"Eh… So!  Kasumi!  Chat with Ryoga lately?"  

Kasumi shot her younger sister a sharp glance, but let her babble on.  

~*~

"Shut _up_, people," Chrissy exclaimed.  "I'm _talking_!  Okay then.  Uh… welcome to the cooking club, everyone!  Welcome back old veterans who were here last year…"  The veterans cheered half-heartedly.  "… And welcome to the newbies!  Yay!"  She applauded by herself.  "Anyhoo, let's go around and introduce ourselves, maybe say a little something to help us get to know you better!"  The veterans groaned.  "Come on, people!  Be a little nicer.  I'll start.  Ahem.  Hi!  I'm Chrissy Sparks, I'm a senior.  I'm the president of this here cooking club.  Yay!"  

Everyone went around in a circle.  There were mostly girls, with a few other guys in addition to the three who had been behind the door.  They introduced themselves after Chrissy.  

"Kenji Suzuki, senior," said the crabby, tousle headed one. 

"Jojo Ong, senior," said the one with glasses.  Jojo, Kasumi reflected, was much nicer than Kenji.  

"Adam Hadley, senior," said the gaijin with a smirk.  "Tall, handsome, and single."  The older girls groaned, and the new ones giggled.  Kasumi smiled politely, but privately thought that the blue-eyed Adam Hadley was somewhat full of bull.  He wasn't bad looking though… she mentally shook herself from such indecent thoughts.  Don't stray from the path, Kasumi-chan.  

"Oh," she looked up.  "My turn?  My name is Kasumi Tendo.  I'm a freshman."  She smiled.  "It is very nice to meet all of you."  

"Like to cook, Kasumi?"  Jojo asked comfortably.  

"Well, I'm not very good at it…"  

"Hey hey, that's okay!  We're all here to learn," Adam exclaimed, grinning at everyone.  "Except for me.  Since I cook from the heart, everything I cook is delicious, baby!"  

Kasumi smiled politely again, indiscernibly shrinking farther back against the desk.  She waited for the introductions to continue.  Rika, sensing her discomfort, took her cue and said her piece.  

Meanwhile, Kasumi glanced back at the three seniors.  Kenji pursued his lips at her and shrugged noncommittally. Maybe he wasn't that bad, Kasumi thought.  She didn't trust her judgment with boys very much, having had little contact with them in her all girl's middle school.  She was a little too suspicious of everyone, maybe.  She looked at Jojo, who smiled nicely at her.  Kasumi smiled back.  She liked Jojo.  He had a big-brother type of protective aura about him.  But behind Jojo, she caught a glimpse of Adam.  The brown-haired Caucasion was watching her watch them.  He gave her an exaggerated wink, a thumbs up, and then turned his back and proceeded to ignore her the rest of the meeting.  Well.  Kasumi's integral sense of politeness was miffed.  Who did he think he was anyways?  Oh well, maybe it was some strange foreigner thing.  She turned her thoughts back to Chrissy's speech.  

"Okay, people, so we're gonna have competitions and stuff.  With other schools, ok?  So here's the deal.  Practices are afterschool, where we learn how to cook and all the techniques and all that sorta stuff.  And on weekends we'll have the competitions, ok?  Great."  She smiled broadly.  "Any questions?  Yes?"  She pointed to Adam, who had his hand raised.  

"Yeah, Chrissy, will you go out with me?"  

Chrissy threw a book at him, but he just ducked and grinned.  "C'mon, pleeeaaase?"  

She ignored him, and turned towards the new members.  "Just ignore him.  It's sort of a private joke between us, but it's gotten really old."  She threw a pencil at him.  "Anyone else other than Adam?  No?  Ok, then, dismissed until next week."  

Kasumi shuffled out with the rest of group.  Competitions?  She was worried—all she really knew how to cook was ramen and rice, and maybe a few vegetables.  Had she gotten in over her head?  

Jojo noticed her worried look.  "Don't worry about it," he said reassuringly.  "Most of the people in these competitions are amateurs.  It's not like TV competitions or anything.  No one is really good."  

Kasumi smiled gratefully.  "Thanks.  I'm just a little nervous because I'm not a very good cook.  I've only…" 

"C'mon, Jojo," Adam interrupted.  He ignored Kasumi.  "The bus is gonna leave without us."  

"Bye Kasumi, see ya around."  

"Bye, thank you!"  

She bit her lower lip, watching them leave, and then picked up her bags and walked out.   

~*~

A/N:  Hmm… the plot thickens!  C&C please!  Oh, and I think I'm going to start replying to reviews, so hopefully that will motivate people to review.  

Kevinfanreader:  Yay!  First reviewer!  There will definitely be more chapters.

Jade:  Thank you!  I'm glad you liked Nabiki's Laws.  I'll try to keep this one up to par, but I'm not as good with Kasumi as I am with Nabs, so keep your fingers crossed.

TerraEpon:  Yeah, I guess in a way this is an AU, though I didn't really mean for it to be.  I kept mom alive longer partly to explain why Kasumi went to an American private school, and for other reasons that will not be divulged now.  ^_^  But other than that, everything should be pretty much the same.  As for Tofu's age… it seems like he'd already been the family doctor for some time already during Akane's flashback, and that was some years ago, as Akane was pretty small (though that part sort of confused me: Kasumi is two years older than Akane, and yet she was three times as tall).  And I'll try not to shove aside the other characters… but I'm also going to bring in some new ones (as seen in previous chapter).

Quirkycellist:  I guess your question is answered in this chapter, nah?  Adam is definitely older, but he's not that old.  :)

Born Skeptic:  Most of you commented on my Tofu statement.  Don't get me wrong, I love Tofu.  I think he's a great guy.  But somehow I don't think that he and Kasumi are especially perfect for each other.  Almost everyone (excepting CoRK) puts Kasumi and Dr. Tofu together, and I don't think it really does her justice.  So I guess I did create Adam to pair them up, although I had started answering your review with the intent to contradict your assumption.  Hmm… now I've gone and confused myself.  If I sort it out I'll reply again later.  Anyhow, what I wanted to say was that I stuck the Tofu line in there with the intention of clarifying why I created a new character for Kasumi.  I guess it came across wrong.  Maybe it still is.  Hope you'll keep reading though, despite my horrible planning.  ^_^;;


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